Chiefs' Gonzalez to Miss Pro Bowl

Published 8:00 pm, Monday, January 7, 2002

Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez has a sprained knee and will not need surgery, but he will miss next month's Pro Bowl.

The injury also means his opportunity for a 10-day tryout with an NBA team following the Pro Bowl almost certainly has been dashed.

He was injured in Sunday's regular-season finale at Seattle and will wear a light cast for 4-to-6 weeks.

Gonzalez, who had a reduced role in coach Dick Vermeil's new offense, is in his contract year. He would become a free agent unless the team designates him a franchise player.

Following an MRI exam Monday, doctors said there was only a sprain of the medial collateral ligament on the left knee. There is no cartilage damage and surgery will not be needed, Chiefs spokesman Bob Moore said.

Carl Peterson, the Chiefs' president and general manager, said after the game the injury would have no impact on the team's interest in re-signing their tight end.

Gonzalez, 6-foot-4 and 249 pounds, played basketball in college at California and fares well in the tough summer leagues in California. He said two weeks ago this was his time to pursue the NBA. He denied speculation he was raising the basketball possibility as a contract ploy.

"I've been talking about this for three years now," he said. "I don't understand why all of a sudden it's a big story."

Gonzalez was injured jumping for a ball at the end of the first half in the Chiefs' 21-18 loss to Seattle. As he landed without the ball, Seattle defensive back Kerry Joseph rolled on his left leg.

Gonzalez left the stadium on crutches and declined to discuss his injury.